Tag Archives: Commentary

Ahead of Its Time

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Magnum, p.i. circa 1984: T. C. sends a text message.

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Awkward Moments in Entertainment History: Arthur Godfrey Fires Julius La Rosa

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Tom Garrett

The television landscape of the 1950’s looked nothing like what we know as the medium today.  Putting aside the technological advances of the past half-century[1], the biggest difference between that time and the present is audience fragmentation. Greater choices within … Continue reading →

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Rules

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Tom Garrett

I experienced something instructive while covering a high school baseball tournament a few months back.  Our local minor league baseball team graciously afforded its stadium for use in the event. The stadium closes its upper deck for purposes of the … Continue reading →

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Revenge of the Nerds

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Tom Garrett

What set Money in the Bank apart from the standard professional wrestling events of the past few years wasn’t the hot crowd in Chicago, or the slick production values, or even the great in-ring work.  Every WWE pay-per-view features at … Continue reading →

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Talking Points FTW

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Opposition leader Edward Miliband of the UK Labour Party does us the favor of breaking off a little piece of what sometimes makes modern politics so depressing (comical?).  Here are his responses to a series of questions in the wake … Continue reading →

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Freedom (of Gluttony)

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Tom Garrett

As a tip of the cap to our nation’s birthday, as well as to the industrious spirit that made our country great, I present one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on television.  Not “greatest shows” or “greatest competitions.” … Continue reading →

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The Artisan

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Tom Garrett

It’s all too easy to dismiss professional wrestling as a mongrel form of entertainment that achieves neither the excitement of legitimate competition nor the imagination of true performance art. Yet, I’ve always thought those who try to pigeonhole the endeavor … Continue reading →

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Gene Cox

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Gene Cox began working at Richmond’s WWBT-12 thirty-three years ago.  Today is his last behind the anchor desk. The native Virginian presided over half a lifetime’s worth of news items, big and small, making them all his own.  Especially the … Continue reading →

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Palin Strategy Is Nothing New

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Tom Garrett

As we roll towards the 2012 presidential election, Sarah Palin’s “One Nation” bus rolls with us.  The tour speeds through the country like a patriotic bullet through the collective heart of America’s enemies. Palin has been customarily tight-lipped about whether she’s … Continue reading →

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Are We Really This Dumb? Yes, We’re Really This Dumb.

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Tom Garrett

Despite my frequent ramblings on what some* might call trivial topics including animal-related magic tricks, obscure (possibly apocryphal) entertainment feuds, or professional wrestling, I’m actually quite attentive to politics and current events.  I’m simply selective.  This is mostly because such … Continue reading →

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